The French consumer association UFC-Que Choisir announced Tuesday that it is taking 20 airlines to court to allow passengers whose flights have been canceled the right to choose between a refund and a credit.
European law provides that in the event of cancellation, the traveler must be offered either a new itinerary or a refund. The latter remains the rule, and can be done in the form of a credit but only with the agreement of the consumer, recalled last week the European Commission.
Gold some companies make consumers believe that the particular pandemic situation would allow them to offer only one voucher. Others agree to reimburse their passengers but suspend payment until an indefinite date, or even after the end of the health crisis
, denounces UFC-Que Choisir.
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Air France, KLM, Transavia, Ryanair, Vueling, Lufthansa, Emirates …
The association, which had put 57 companies on notice in April, finally decided to assign 20, the main
according to her, in cessation of unlawful conduct
before the Paris court.
The targeted companies are Air France, KLM, Transavia, Ryanair, Vueling, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Emirates, Royal Air Maroc, Tunisair, Air Algérie and TAP Air Portugal but also Volotea, Air Caraïbes, Norwegian, Air Austral, Air Europa, Air Corsica, Corsair and Air Transat.
The hearing date has not been set at this time. The association indicates that it does not currently seek damages
, But just wish that companies […] respect the rights of consumers
to be able to choose.
Passengers are not intended to be the financiers of airlines, there are banks for that
, says Raphaël Bartlomé, head of the legal department at UFC-Que Choisir.
Unused banknotes would represent 9.2 billion euros
Brought to their knees by the stop of world traffic, the airlines defend themselves by arguing unprecedented liquidity constraints
, according to A4E, their main European association.
For A4E, unused tickets represent 9.2 billion euros until the end of May.
Everyone must understand that we had to react in a completely new situation and therefore, we must invent mechanisms
, reacted on Tuesday BFMTV Secretary of State for Transport Jean-Baptiste Djebbari.
Perhaps for the future it will be necessary to create a compensation fund for travelers directly supported by a European entity to protect European passengers
, he estimated.
– .
